Luxenberg to lobbyists: Honor my 40th birthday by giving me money. Ritter and Rojas special guests at “disrespectful, abusive and confrontational” Housing co-chair event.
One of their own inflicting “threatening and abusive behavior” on local housing authorities makes no impression on House Democratic leaders. Speaker of the House Matthew Ritter and House Majority Leader Jason Rojas will be the special guests at state Representative Geoffrey Luxenberg’s political action committee fundraiser marking his 40th birthday.
The Manchester Democrat has been the subject of complaints by mostly female housing authority employees who dealt with him and his real estate business. One West Hartford housing authority official wrote in an email, Luxenberg ”has consistently been abusive and unreasonable at a level I have never before experienced,” and that he is “just plain mean.”
Luxenberg threatened an unhappy prospective tenant in a text, writing, “They likely will just take away your voucher if you keep lying. I think you should just move out and get a new place.” The tenant told housing administrators she found Luxenberg “somewhat racist.” She wrote, “I had the worst experience with Geoff demanding money.” When a unit he was attempting to rent to a tenant with a tenant eligible for a government rent subsidy failed inspections, Luxenberg claimed he was being “discriminated against regarding my learning disability.”
None of this matters to House Democratic caucus leaders when measured against contributions and event ad book purchases flowing into campaign coffers.
Lobbyists and entities that do business with the state have received the tiered-donation invites. The October 30th birthday squeeze will take place at West Hartford’s GastroPark. Anyone who gives or raises $1,000 can be a “Birthday Celebration Host.” Raise more and you do have to be a host.
Hand over $40.00 and become a “Birthday Basher,” which may trigger painful memories from some who emerge feeling basked from contact with the volatile Luxenberg.
Published October 24, 2023.
For something completely different, read and subscribe to the new Substack newsletter Now You Know–The Cultural Lives of Others. This week’s guest is violinist and senator Gary Winfield.